Leadership, Effectiveness, Accountability, and Professionalism (LEAP) Africa, a leading non-profit organisation committed to leadership development and youth empowerment in Africa, has announced the fifth edition of its Youth Day of Service (YDOS) social impact initiative. Partnering with Dow Africa, a global leader in materials science, as the headline sponsor, the Pan-African initiative will kick off on August 12, 2024, coinciding with the United Nations International Youth Day.
YDOS is a youth-led social impact campaign that empowers young Africans to drive tangible progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). By providing resources, skills, and a platform for their voices, YDOS equips young people to become catalysts for positive change in their communities.
Africa’s growing youth population presents a unique opportunity for accelerated development. However, the continent is still facing significant challenges in achieving the SDGs.
“Africa’s youth have so much potential but face challenges on their path to a brighter future. Recognising this, LEAP Africa uses the Youth Day of Service (YDOS) to inspire young leaders across the continent to take action towards the actualisation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030,” said Kehinde Ayeni, Executive Director of LEAP Africa.
“Simply throwing resources at these problems is not enough – YDOS seeks to empower young leaders with the skills and knowledge to tackle social challenges head-on. Through capacity-building support, recognition and financing, the Youth Day of Service will equip young SDG leaders with the tools for transformational change on the continent. Ultimately, YDOS goes beyond individual empowerment, fostering collaboration and knowledge sharing across African regions and countries, creating a vibrant network of changemakers united by a common purpose,” Ayeni added.
Sami Mainich, President of Dow Africa, stated: “Young people are the architects of our future, and their creativity, innovative thinking, and energy are essential to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. Dow is proud to partner with LEAP Africa once again on the Youth Day of Service. By empowering young leaders across Africa, we are investing in a sustainable future for the continent and creating lasting positive change.”
The theme for YDOS 2024, “Intensifying Youth Action for the SDGs,” reflects the campaign’s commitment to scaling impact. Marking a significant milestone since its inception, this year’s edition underscores LEAP Africa’s ongoing effort to engage and empower young leaders across Africa to drive meaningful change within their communities and contribute to achieving the SDGs by 2030.
This year, LEAP Africa will kickstart the initiative with a Pan-African stakeholder event to engage key partners and regional allies to develop a comprehensive strategy for achieving the SDGs through YDOS. This will be supported by other activities for participants including workshops, panel discussions, and grassroots project support, all designed to drive the integration of sustainability into every aspect of SDG implementation.
In 2023, YDOS mobilised over 10,000 young people across 28 African countries to implement 301 projects which spanned across all 17 sustainable development goals. The projects, which included four climate action rallies, the planting of 7,893 trees across nine countries, and the collection of 812,951.51Â tons of waste across eight countries, directly benefited 139,245 people and indirectly benefited 696,225 across Africa.
